Sextortion, AI generated nudes may be the trigger for new laws, a Taylor Swift AI study

Sextortion is increasing alongside the rise in AI-generated nudes, spiking the rise of AI-generated nudes, which means more victims are likely to emerge falling pray to predators.

While it remains in question, how some sextortion images are AI-generated, these tools exist and continue to create these deepfakes that are easy to use and access.

The latest example of how far deep fakes may cause harm is how sexually explicit AI-generated images of Taylor Swift made their way online, were circulated on social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter).

The controversy led to X users not being able to search for the words Taylor Swift AI as an attempt to remedy the issue.

The apparent challenge is an example of AI-generated fake pornography and the real challenge of stopping it.

While teams, developers, and Taylor Swift’s legal team wrestled with the post which attracted more than over 45 million views, around 24,000 reposts and hundreds of thousands of likes and bookmarks before the verified users who shared the images had their accounts suspended for violating platform policy, this has earmarked the debate as to what happens to the perpetrators.

The apparent gap

What remains in question is the massive gap AI still has before someone ropes it in for defamation.

We’re still at the table of contents phase on regulating AI, some experts have said, which highlights the amount of work that still has to be done to navigate the line between fault and expression.

We recall the tale of the arrest of a South African 34-year-old suspect who used AI skillfully and photoshopped the faces of President Cyril Ramaphosa, alongside Bheki Cele, in a compromising position. The perpetrator was arrested under the Cyber Crimes Act, which highlights some recourse when it comes to bad behaviour.

Cyber crimes and their effect

It’s the reputational damage that’s at stake. What’s great to note, is how most challenges created by Ai will now trigger new laws.

Zero moderation is unacceptable and anyone found on the wrong side of Ai should face repercussions. Otherwise this inspires others, breeding lawlessness.

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